Super Bowl matchups

QB Eli Manning got to the Super Bowl before Philip Rivers (whom
he was traded for in 2004) and now will shoot to do something else
Rivers hasn't been able to do -- beat the Patriots. Rivers is 0-3
against the Patriots, including two playoff losses, while Manning's
lone appearance against New England was December's three-point
loss. Manning has been splendid in the postseason by completing
62.4 percent of his passes and throwing four touchdown passes. He
hasn't been intercepted in 85 playoff passes. In the earlier
meeting against New England, Manning threw four touchdown passes,
including two to standout WR Plaxico Burress, who had 12
regular-season TD catches. RB Brandon Jacobs rushed for 1,009
regular-season yards while Ahmad Bradshaw (163 to Jacobs' 155) is
the Giants' leading rusher this postseason. The Giants miss injured
TE Jeremy Shockey's receiving skills but new starter Kevin Boss is
proving to be a better run blocker. New England's defense is often
overshadowed by its offense but it did finish fourth in the NFL in
both total defense and scoring defense while leading the league in
pass defense. Pro Bowl CB Asante Samuel has 16 interceptions over
the past two seasons while SS Rodney Harrison is one of the
smartest defensive players in the NFL. Pro Bowl NT Vince Wilfork is
an inside force while DE Richard Seymour is one of the NFL's top
all-around ends. The LBs are impressive with Pro Bowler Mike Vrabel
(career-high 12 1/2 sacks), Oceanside High graduate Junior Seau,
Tedy Bruschi and Adalius Thomas forming a stellar starting group.
The Patriots had 47 sacks, second most in the NFL.

PATRIOTS ON OFFENSE (Edge -- Patriots)

Putting pressure on QB Tom Brady (NFL-record 50 TD passes) is a
must if the Giants are to spring an upset. New York led the NFL
with 53 sacks but was only able to corral Brady once in the
December meeting. The Giants have three stellar DEs in Pro Bowler
Osi Umenyiora (13 sacks), franchise-sack leader Michael Strahan
(141 1/2 career sacks, nine this season) and third-year player
Justin Tuck (10 sacks). The Patriots counter with three Pro Bowlers
on the offensive line and the showdown between LT Matt Light and
Umenyiora will be one to watch. LG Logan Mankins and C Dan Koppen
are also headed to the Pro Bowl. Where oh where has WR Randy Moss
(NFL-record 23 TD catches) been in the postseason? He has just two
receptions for 32 yards in two playoff games. WR Wes Welker has
been the go-to guy with 16 postseason catches. Welker caught a
franchise-record 112 passes in the regular season. Brady was picked
off three times by the Chargers in the AFC Championship Game but
has completed 78.7 percent of his postseason passes. CBs R.W.
McQuarters (three) and Corey Webster (two) have intercepted five
passes in the postseason after combining for just one in the
regular season. It was Webster who intercepted Brett Favre to set
up the winning field goal against Green Bay in the NFC title game.
Patriots RBs Laurence Maroney (244 postseason rushing yards) and
Kevin Faulk (13 postseason receptions) complement each other well.
Giants MLB Antonio Pierce had a team-best 116 regular-season
tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS (Edge -- Patriots)

Giants K Lawrence Tynes is enjoying his time as a hero after
booting the game-winning field goal against Green Bay but it's hard
not to expect a New Yorker to close their eyes should he be called
for a game-winning kick today. After all, Tynes missed two other
game-winning attempts -- one that he badly shanked and the other
that he missed when a high snap threw off his timing -- before
delivering the game-winner. New England's Stephen Gostkowski is
9-of-10 in the postseason since replacing Patriots postseason
legend Adam Vinatieri. Nobody has ever played in more NFL games
than New York P Jeff Feagles (320 regular-season games) but the guy
who entered the NFL in 1988 is finally playing in a Super Bowl. He
averaged 40.4 yards and placed 25 punts inside the opponents' 20
during the regular season. New England's Chris Hanson averaged 41.4
yards. The Giants' Domenik Hixon returned a kickoff 74 yards for a
touchdown against the Patriots in December.

WHAT TO EXPECT (Edge -- Patriots)

There's certainly no pressure on the Giants, who arrive as the
most successful collection of road warriors in NFL history. The
Giants have won an NFL-record 10 consecutive road games, including
three straight in the postseason after being the No. 5 seed in the
NFC. New York's season is already an unqualified success and the
Giants are playing with house money today. New England is taking a
shot at immortality and the NFL's first-ever 19-0 record. All week
long, Patriots players have expressed that their season will be
unsuccessful if they don't win their fourth Super Bowl title in the
past seven seasons. While everybody makes a big deal of the
Patriots' potent offense and well-disciplined play (New England
committed an NFL-low 15 turnovers in the regular season), it's a
little-know fact that today's game will be the only time all season
that the Patriots didn't play in the Eastern or Central time zones.
Their previous longest trip of the season was to Dallas. Coach Bill
Belichick is 3-0 in Super Bowls and can tie Pittsburgh's Chuck Noll
as the only coaches with four Super Bowl victories with a win
today. When these two teams met in the regular season, it was one
of the most entertaining games of the entire season, and there's no
reason why the contest shouldn't be fiercely fought again. But just
like that epic December shootout, expect New England to
prevail.